Sweethearts of the Rodeo

Beyoncé has said that Cowboy Carter "...was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of country music and studied our rich musical archive.” Although she doesn't specifically say so, it is pretty clear that the experience is most likely about her performance of "Daddy Lessons" from Lemonade at the 2016 Country Music Awards with The Chicks (then Dixie Chicks). In 2003, The Chicks were blackballed by the conservative mainstream country music industry because they criticized President George W. Bush and said that they did not support an invasion of Iraq. When the CMAs posted a clip of the performance on their site, haters flooded the comments section with their disapproval and the CMAs took down the clip. The backlash towards the CMAs was quick and feeling the pressure, they put the clip back up. While black musicians were instrumental in the creation of country music, racism (and sexism for that matter) has always been present in the industry. Beyoncé is not only giving us a history lesson on Cowboy Carter, she shines a light on current country artists of color like Tanner Adell, Willie Jones, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, Shaboozey, Brittney Spencer and legends like the great Linda Martell who was the first black woman to play the Grand Ole Opry. I could go on about the importance and the brilliance of Cowboy Carter, there are layers and even more layers. I encourage you to read more about it. 

So obviously the latest playlist was inspired by Cowboy Carter. Classic country music was an early influence in my life growing up in Kansas. Oddly, it took moving to New York City to find myself drawn to the country artists of my childhood. Shout out to Joe's Bar on East 6th Street whose jukebox is likely responsible for this.

Starting off the playlist is my current favorite track from Cowboy Carter, "Ya Ya." As Linda Martell says on Cowboy Carter, “Genres are a funny little concept, aren’t they?” In theory, they have a simple definition that’s easy to understand. But in practice, well, some may feel confined.” While introducing "Ya Ya" she continues, "This particular tune stretches across a range of genres and that's what makes it a unique listening experience." Indeed it does. It is an explosion of garage rock that hits you out of the gate with a sample of Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots are Made for Walkin'" and lyrics that punch you in the gut like "Whole lotta red in that white and blue. History can’t be erased.” It is powerful and a total blast at the same time. 

How do you follow up Beyoncé on a playlist? Well, '70s queen Linda Ronstadt, one of my childhood favorites and her cover of the Everly Brothers track "When Will I Be Loved." Next is Patsy Cline who has a special place in my heart. One of my favorite memories is my Grandpa and Grandma dancing to Patsy Cline at their 50th Wedding Anniversary party. Years later, my husband and I danced to Pasty at our wedding. I have been a fan of Katie Crutchfield aka Waxahatchee for some time. It was so exciting when she moved to Kansas City a few years ago but what is even more wild is hearing her sing about "Lone Star Lake" on her brilliant new LP Tigers Blood. Lone Star Lake is located outside of Lawrence, Kansas and I started going there the summer before my freshman year in college to hang out. I have so many great memories from there and her beautiful song is a fitting tribute. 

When I was young, there was one movie channel (HBO) and you watched every movie they showed hundreds of times. I can not even count the times that I watched Coal Miner's Daughter when I was young and because of that, I fell in love with Loretta Lynn's music. Neko Case is a long time favorite. Her track "People Got A Lotta Nerve" was released on her acclaimed 2009 album Middle Cyclone. "The Architect" is my favorite song on Kacey Musgraves' new album Deeper Well and it is not because I now work at an architecture firm. I swear! 

I absolutely had to include The Chicks on this playlist who I have so much respect and empathy for because of what they have been through.  I chose The Chicks cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide" because it is gorgeous and I feel like Beyoncé's track "Two Most Wanted" from Cowboy Carter is an homage to Fleetwood Mac's song. Bringing it full circle.

The next three artists are all featured on Cowboy Carter: the aforementioned Linda Martell, Dolly Parton and Rhiannon Giddeons. Some of you might not be familiar with the next band, Tarnation. They were formed in San Francisco by Paula Frazer and released their debut album on 4AD Records in 1995. "Game of Broken Hearts" is from that LP. Kitty Wells, Skeeter Davis and Wanda Jackson are artists from the 50s/60s that I discovered after my move to New York City. I had the thrill of seeing Wanda Jackson play once when I was visiting Seattle and she even signed a concert poster for me. Dottie West and Olivia Newton-John's joyful songs were childhood favorites of mine. I included Gillian Welch and Allison Krauss' version of the gospel hymn "I'll Fly Away" from the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack. Closing out the playlist is Jenny Lewis and her endearing 2023 track "Puppy and a Truck." 

Country music can be polarizing but it is not a monolith and surely there is something out there for everyone. Pairing down this playlist was especially difficult as there were so many artists that I wish I could have included. I hope you find some songs here that you like and please tell me some of your favorites in the comments. 

Beyoncé - Ya Ya 

Linda Ronstadt - When Will I Be Loved 

Patsy Cline - I Don't Wanta 

Waxahatchee - Lone Star Lake 

Loretta Lynn - You Ain't Woman Enough 

Neko Case - People Got A Lotta Nerve 

Kacey Musgraves - The Architect

The Chicks - Landslide 

Linda Martell - Color Him Father 

Dolly Parton - The Bargain Store 

Rhiannon Giddens - Mountain Banjo 

Tarnation - Game of Broken Hearts 

Kitty Wells - It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels 

Gillian Welch, Alison Krauss - I'll Fly Away 

Skeeter Davis - Gonna Get Along Without You Now 

Dottie West - Country Sunshine 

Olivia Newton-John - Let Me Be There 

Wanda Jackson - Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad 

Jenny Lewis - Puppy and a Truck 

xo, 

Julie 

Voodoo Rae

How is it April already? I had intended to wrap up this playlist last week but then I was sidetracked by Cowboy Carter. I have so many thoughts on Beyoncé’s latest masterpiece which I will share later because you know there will 100% be a track on the next playlist. 

Last month, I saw UK band Fat Dog’s first US show at an intimate venue in Ridgewood, Queens (Trans-Pecos for those in the area). The crowd was dancing to the band and it was such a great vibe. I was transported back to my college radio days at KJHK and the specialty show that I used host. I went by the moniker DJ Voodoo Rae, an homage to the A Guy Called Gerald track which I used as the show’s theme music. The show was born out of all of the fantastic dance music coming out of the UK at that time, especially the Manchester/Madchester scene centered around the Haçienda nightclub. I started to think about what my radio show might look like today if I mixed together what I used to play with music that has been released since my college radio days and I came up with this latest playlist. 

Happy Mondays were one of the more notable bands to come out of the Manchester scene. “W.F.L”, the remix that Vince Clark (Erasure, Yazoo and Depeche Mode) did for their track ‘Wrote For Luck” is a formative classic.  English duo Disclosure released their acclaimed debut album Settle in 2013. The album has so many great tracks but thought “When A Fire Starts To Burn” transitioned well from Happy Mondays. “We Are Your Friends” is a remix of a track by producer James Ford’s first band, Simian, by French duo Justice and was released in the mid-aughts. Fischerspooner seemed to be everywhere in NYC at the turn of the century when their single “Emerge” exploded. I loved featuring remixes on my show and Youth’s remix of The Orb’s “Perpetual Dawn” was a perennial favorite. Another banger from the mid-aughts is from Brazil’s CSS (Cansei de Ser Sexy), “Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death From Above.” DJ Andrew Weatherall was crucial in bringing together dance music with British indie bands. His remix of Primal Scream’s “Loaded” is the gold standard of the time. 

My radio show was Saturday nights 6pm-8pm and came on right before the industrial music show. The host of that show and I used to have some slightly heated discussions over which show had “rights” to certain artists. There was definitely some overlap. I think I won Renegade Soundwave (or maybe I lost and played “Biting My Nails” anyway).  “All The Same” is Fat Dog’s latest single and definitely gives some Wax Trax! vibes. I think I would win radio show “rights” to this one today. Regardless, I can’t wait to hear more from this new band.  Deee-Lite and their debut LP World Clique got a lot of play on my show. “What Is Love?” holds up incredibly well.  Next up is a completely unlikely pairing that totally works, Hot Chip and singer-songwriter Bonnie “Prince” Billy. “I Feel Bonnie” is a re-imagination of Hot Chip’s “I Feel Better.” The next song, “Music Sounds Better With You”, was the only single released by French house group Stardust as Thomas Bangalter was busy with his other project, Daft Punk. Built around a Stone Roses sample, MC Tunes Versus 808 State “Tunes Splits the Atom” was in heavy rotation on my show for a hot minute. How many times did I walk around rapping “Manchester, the dance capital of England” in my terrible British accent during those years? It was not as embarrassing as it sounds, really. Closing out the playlist is my DJ namesake and show theme “Voodoo Ray” by British producer and musician, A Guy Called Gerald. 

Happy Mondays - W.F.L. (The Vince Clark Remix)

Disclosure - When A Fire Starts To Burn 

Justice Vs Simian - We Are Your Friends 

Fischerspooner - Emerge 

The Orb - Perpetual Dawn (Solar Youth Mix)

CSS - Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death From Above 

Primal Scream - Loaded (Andy Weatherall Mix) 

Renegade Soundwave - Biting My Nails 

Fat Dog - All the Same 

Deee- Lite - What Is Love? 

Hot Chip (featuring Bonnie “Prince” Billy) - I Feel Bonnie (House Mix) 

Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You  

MC Tunes Versus 808 State - Tunes Splits the Atom 

A Guy Called Gerald - Voodoo Ray 

With all the terrible news in the world, hopefully this playlist will help lift the mood if even for a moment. It was truly a blast to put together. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it. 

xo,

Julie

Ethereal Queens

When I took a closer look at the new tracks that I wanted to include in my February playlist, a pattern emerged: Caroline Polachek, Beth Gibbons, Bat For Lashes, Laetitia Sadler and their ethereal vocals. A line up like that deserves a playlist so Ethereal Queens was born. 

Ambient artist Julianna Barwick might not be on everyone’s radar. Last year she appeared on “This Version of You” by electronic duo ODESZA and I thought it sets the mood of this playlist. “Butterfly Net’ is the gorgeous new track from Carolina Polachek and features another Ethereal Queen, Weyes Blood. “Floating on a Moment” is the exceptional first single from Portishead singer, Beth Gibbons. I can not wait to hear more from her forthcoming album. Lisa Gerrard is the definition of an Ethereal Queen. Rather than choosing a song from her extensive solo or film score work, I chose an early track from her group, Dead Can Dance. I am a huge fan of FKA twigs 2019 stunning album MAGDALENE and chose “holy terrain” which features the rapper, Future. L’Rain’s album I Killed Your Dog is another favorite. I realize I just included a track on my Best of 2023 playlist but I could resist adding “5 to 8 Hours a Day (WWwaG)”. It is so at home on this playlist. Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadier released her first solo album in several years last Friday. I lam loving the moody lead off track “Who + What”. Natasha Khan who records as Bat For Lashes announced her new album last week and shared the title track from the album “The Dream of Delphi”. I couldn’t have an Ethereal Queens playlist without including Irish singer and composer Enya. She is an OG EQ. Representing the ‘90s and shoegaze we have Cocteau Twins and Lush. “Feel You” is probably one of the more accessible tracks from Los Angeles-based composer, Julia Holter. This song was released in 2015 but Julia has a new album coming in March. There is no better way to end this playlist than with a song by the legendary Kate Bush. 

ODESZA (featuring Julianna Barwick) - This Version of You

Caroline Polachek (featuring Weyes Blood) - Butterfly Net

Beth Gibbons - Floating On A Moment

Dead Can Dance - Frontier

FKA twigs (Featuring Future) - holy terrain

L'Rain - 5 to 8 Hours a Day (WWwaG)

Laetitia Sadier - Who + What

Bat For Lashes - The Dream of Delphi

Enya - Only Time

Cocteau Twins - Cherry-coloured Funk

Lush - For Love

Julia Holter - Feel You

Kate Bush - This Woman's Work

These light and airy songs are a welcoming transition from winter to spring. I hope you enjoy!  

xo,

Julie